For high school students, the deadline for applying to colleges is quickly approaching.This means many of those students, like I did, will soon have to leave their beloved pets behind to pursue a higher education.

Pets are a big responsibility, particularly for busy college students, but they can be great way to reduce stress and ease homesickness.

Unfortunately, not all colleges are as pet friendly as these ten, and of course there are certainly other reasons for choosing a school.But, there are other ways to enjoy the company of animals while away at college.

When I first arrived on campus, I started an animal shelter volunteer group made up of all the students who missed their pets.We visited the local shelter to help socialize the animals on weekly basis.It was a great way to help out, while getting our pet fix and meeting fellow animal lovers without the responsibility.In fact, I know many people post-college who volunteer to get their pet fix, often limited by non-animal friendly apartments or busy schedules.

There is certainly a risk to allowing animals into bustling dorms.Many college students may not realize the full responsibility of a pet. But as long as there’s a good application process in place, I’m glad that more colleges are accommodating pet lovers.I only wish that I had a list of animal friendly schools when I graduated high school!